


A Modern Adaptation of Act 1, Scene 4 of Romeo & Juliet

by jojo_siwa_car



Category: Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types, Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Genre: Gen, Modernized scene, Party City wigs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:22:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24915322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jojo_siwa_car/pseuds/jojo_siwa_car
Summary: "If love’s gonna be rough with you, be rough with love! It’s like Newton’s third law,' Mercutio said, with the unauthorized confidence of someone who actually knew what they were talking about."The title says it all: A modernized interpretation of Act 1, Scene 4 of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, a.k.a. the scene where the Montague boys (and Mercutio) are on their way to the Capulet feast.This was a school project, don't judge me too hard
Relationships: Benvolio Montague & Romeo Montague, Mercutio & Benvolio Montague, Mercutio & Romeo Montague
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	A Modern Adaptation of Act 1, Scene 4 of Romeo & Juliet

The failed attempt at appearing inconspicuous was clear as the group sauntered down the streets on their way to the Capulet household. Flashlights shining, possibly blinding a few unfortunate pedestrians illuminated the poorly constructed disguises consisting of Party City wigs and cheap sunglasses that looked more like costumes than camouflage. 

“Hey, do we have an actual plan?” asked Romeo. “Or are we just going to burst in all ‘step aside peasants!’ and expect them not to care?”

Benvolio brushed off the question with a grin. “I can’t say anyone would make a speech while entering a party, invited or not. As dressed up as we may look, none of us look important enough to warrant an introduction - that’s too suspicious. Let’s just walk in, dance a bit, and then we’re out of there.”

“Give me your flashlight then,” Romeo said, holding his hand out. “I’m not in the mood to dance so I’ll hold this instead.”

“Aw c’mon!” Protested Mercutio, clapping his hand onto Romeo’s back. “You have to dance with us!”

“Not gonna happen,” said Romeo. “You can dance because your soles are nimble. Mine is made of lead, and it’s weighing me down.”

“Look loverboy,” chuckled Mercutio. “Why don’t you go borrow Cupid’s wings and lift your heavy soul?”

“Oh alright, except that Cupid’s arrow has hit me so hard that I’m too sore to be happy again,” sighed Romeo.

“Please just get over this girl!” said Mercutio. “If you keep wallowing like this, you’re going to drag your love down with you, and it’s too great a feeling for you to squander it like this.”

Romeo gave him a skeptical glare. Mercutio persisted.

“I’m serious! If love’s gonna be rough with you, be rough with love! It’s like Newton’s third law,” Mercutio said, with the unauthorized confidence of someone who actually knew what they were talking about.

“We’re here,” announced Benvolio. “Let’s knock, enter, and dance.”

“I’m not dancing,” said Romeo. “Best to quit while you’re ahead as they say."

"Okay boomer," Benvolio muttered under his breath. Mercutio chuckled as Romeo groaned.

"Hand me your flashlight,” he said, turning once more to Benvolio, his arm outstretched.

“Quit being such a loser. We’ll pull you out of the mud you’re stuck in,” Mercutio said. “Now chop-chop people! We’re wasting precious daylight here!”

“It’s literally nighttime!” Romeo retorted.

Mercutio groaned. “I meant that we’re wasting the batteries in these flashlights, which is like wasting the daylight. Use your brain cells!”

The group readied themselves to enter the Capulet party. Romeo appeared hesitant.

“Look, I know we don’t mean any harm by coming here tonight, but I really think we should leave,” he told them.

“And why is that?” Mercutio asked.

“I had this crazy dream last night,” said Romeo. Mercutio scoffed. 

“No good conversation has ever started that way.”

“Look I’m not lying!” Romeo retorted. Mercutio still appeared incredulous.

“Yeah, and neither was the narrator in Tell-Tale Heart when he said he wasn’t crazy. People lie.”

Romeo gave him a questioning stare.

“Look, I think we can all see that you’ve been visited by Queen Mab,” said Mercutio.

“Who?” Romeo responded.

“She’s ‘the fairy’s midwife of dreams,’ and rides around in a carriage made of a walnut shell. She’s the size of a little pebble, and the wheels of her carriage are made of spider legs. The cover’s made of grasshopper wings, the harness of spider webs, and the horse collars of moonbeams. Her whip is made of a cricket shell and her driver is a tiny gnat in a gray coat. The carriage is drawn across the noses of sleeping people, granting all of their greatest wishes and desires in their dreams. She brings love to lovers’ brains, curtsies to noblemen’s knees, fees to lawyer’s fingers, but blisters to the lips of ladies who have had sweets. The Mab will bring dreams of winning wars to soldiers, startling them awake, but she’ll also put knots in horse manes. She’ll -”

“Mercutio, what are you on about?” Interrupted Romeo.

“Seriously, you have to stop watching those conspiracy theory videos you’re in love with for whatever reason,” added Benvolio. Mercutio held his hands up defensively.

“Look, all I’m saying is that dreams are just weird products of the imagination that mean nothing,” said Mercutio.

“Alright, so if we’re done with that, the party’s this way and we’re already late,” Benvolio said.

Romeo still appeared distrustful.

“I still don’t believe you, but y’know what? I’ll let Jesus take the wheel on that one,” said Romeo. “Let’s go.”

**Author's Note:**

> As I already mentioned, this was a school project, I was on a time crunch, and it wasn't the best thing I've ever written, but I was still pretty proud of the way I wrote these characters. Hope you enjoyed!


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